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Pepin County, Wisconsin

44 topographic sheets cover 13 settlements here, and 2 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

2 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Wisconsin within the United States
Pepin County within Wisconsin

What the record shows

  • 170 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 2 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 2 buildings.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 13 populated places in this county; 13 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

2

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Durand Free Librarybuilding198080000173
Pepin County Courthouse and Jailbuilding198282000695

Wildfire, 2009 to 2020

13 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 13 of them, burning about 59 acres. None started naturally and none was recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined8
Debris and open burning5

The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
8 April 2009Missing data/not specified/undetermined54 acresWisconsin Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
19 April 2019Debris and open burning4.0 acresWisconsin Department of Natural Resources18
28 April 2018Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreWisconsin Department of Natural Resources2018007
28 April 2018Debris and open burningunder an acreWisconsin Department of Natural Resources0LF1810
4 May 2019Debris and open burningunder an acreWisconsin Department of Natural Resources27
29 April 2018Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreWisconsin Department of Natural Resources20
8 April 2019Debris and open burningunder an acreWisconsin Department of Natural Resources25
12 November 2018Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreWisconsin Department of Natural Resources56

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1951 to 2026

60 of 135 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 135 reports for this county, causing no deaths, 6 injuries and about $8,080,230 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind61
Hail44
Flash Flood9
Heavy Rain8
Tornado7
Funnel Cloud4
Flood2

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
May 1998Tornado (F3)Durand6 hurt, $100,000Tornado touched down in northern Buffalo County, and continued on ground for 9 miles into eastern Pepin County. Two homes were destroyed in Pepin County. House collapse injured 6 family members. Trailer home also damaged. Tornado rated F3 for a brief time east of Durand, however most of its damage track rated F1.
May 1996Thunderstorm WindPorcupine$4,500,000no account filed
August 2009Flash FloodArkansaw$1,000,000A team of NWS employees and local law enforcement officials surveyed an area northwest of Arkansaw, Wisconsin that had flood damage. The storm survey determined that from County Road XX, southeast along County Road Z, several mud slides were confirmed along with a washed out roadway along Arkansas Creek. There were also reports of basement flooding in the town of Arkansaw, Wisconsin. Also, a local observer in Pepin County reported several minor mud slides near Durand. Local law enforcement officials in Pepin County also reported several roads washed out in Frankfort Township, south of Arkansaw, Wisconsin.||Highway crews repaired the highway along Arkansas Creek which rose more than 15 feet and spread about 100' wide during the height of the storm.
July 2016Tornado (EF1)Porcupine$500,000A tornado was embedded within a broader mesocyclone that was sometimes three miles wide (see separate entry for the wind damage from the mesocyclone). The tornado itself moved east, hitting two farmsteads where barns and sheds were destroyed. The tornado also produced a narrow corridor of uprooted and snapped trees. It dissipated just as it was exiting Pepin County.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindArkansaw$500,000Significant straight line wind damage occurred west and northwest of Durand, in the Towns of Waterville and Waubeek. Trees were downed from several miles west of Arkansaw to north-northwest of Durand, near Highway 25. Some of the worst damage was near County Road D and Highway 25. Damage occurred to a roof which came off of a storage shed, as well as damage to Eau Galle Cheese Factory, plus a few campers in Dick's RV lot.
June 1987Tornado (F1)not stated$250,000no account filed
September 1951Tornado (F3)not stated$250,000no account filed
July 2016Thunderstorm WindPorcupine$200,000A mesocyclone that was sometimes three miles wide caused widespread wind damage, knocking down trees, destroying sheds and causing other building damage. The downburst wind damage from the mesocyclone was mostly spread across a 1.5 mile wide area, but occasionally reached a width of three miles. There was also a tornado embedded within the mesocyclone (see separate entry for the tornado).
August 2009Flash FloodDurand$200,000Several gullies washed out, damaging infrastructure.
June 2001HailDurand$200,000Vehicles, houses and other structures damaged.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindArkansaw$200,000Barn blown down trapping 57 cows. Garage shifted off foundation. Windows blown out of farmhouse.
July 2021Thunderstorm WindArkansaw$75,000There were numerous trees and power lines blown down between Arkansaw and west of Durand. Some of the debris landed on houses and vehicles, plus some of the trees were blocking Highways 10 and 25. The worst damage was west of the Chippewa River. Power outages were also reported in Pepin and Stockholm areas.
December 2021Thunderstorm WindStockholm$50,000Pepin County primarily had minor damages trees down throughout the county, a couple of houses had minor roof damage, and one farm losing an agricultural structure that was only a year old.
August 2009Flash FloodElla$25,000The local law enforcment officials reported a mud slide on County Road N, north of Ella, which closed the highway.
July 2017Flash FloodStockholm$20,000Pepin County reported a rock slide from the bluffs about 1 mile north of Stockholm, due to heavy rainfall.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindStockholm$10,000A tree fell on a building and caused minor damage.
August 2020Thunderstorm WindDurand$200A large tree was blown down in the city of Durand.
June 1983Tornado (F0)not stated$30no account filed
May 2025Thunderstorm WindArkansaw-Report of a downed tree west of Durand.
May 2025Thunderstorm WindPepin-Report of several downed trees near the town of Pepin.
July 2025Thunderstorm WindPepin-Several trees down across roads in Stockholm and Pepin.
July 2025Thunderstorm WindDurand-Tree down across road 2 miles northwest of Durand or 1.5 miles north of the intersection of Co Rd D and WI-25.
July 2025Thunderstorm WindDurand-Tree down across State Road 85, 3.5 mile east-northeast of Durand.
August 2025Thunderstorm WindDurand-Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 65 mph downed multiple trees in Durand.
August 2025Flash FloodElla-The Pepin County Sheriff's Office reported that a portion of County Highway N was closed due to heavy rain and flooding just north of Ella.
August 2025Heavy RainArkansaw-Cocorahs station WI-PP-8 Durand 2W- 72 hour total of 6.68 inches.
August 2025Heavy RainDurand-Cocorahs station WI-PP-12 Durand 1.5 SW - 72 hour total of 6.20 inches.
August 2025Heavy RainDurand-Cocorahs station WI-PP-13 Durand 0.7 E 72 hour total of 5.03 inches.
May 2024Thunderstorm WindDurand-Three inches diameter branches were downed along a 150 foot tree line.
July 2024Thunderstorm WindPepin-A tree was downed in Pepin.
August 2023HailPepin-Social media showed a picture of hail near baseball size.
July 2023Funnel CloudPorcupine-A funnel cloud was reported near Porcupine in Pepin County.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindDurand-A Facebook photo showed an uprooted tree near Durand.
May 2022Tornado (EF0)Stockholm-The starting point was estimated based on video evidence as it began over the Mississippi River (Lake Pepin). Once onshore, the tornado knocked down or broke about one dozen trees as it moved up the river bluffs and dissipated. Maximum winds were estimated at 70 mph.
July 2021Thunderstorm WindPorcupine-There was a measured wind gust of 60 mph east of Porcupine from a private weather sensor.
May 2020Funnel CloudDurand-A social media picture of a funnel cloud.
May 2020HailPepin-A social media picture indicated 2 inch diameter hail fell in Pepin. Numerous spotters also reported hail as large as 2 inches in Pepin.
May 2020HailElla-There were reports of large hail, up to quarter size, that fell in a swath between Ella and Porcupine.
June 2020Heavy RainDurand-A measured rainfall report of 3.30 inches occurred over the past 12 hours east of Durand.
March 2019FloodArkansaw-As snow began to melt, areal flooding started, especially along the smaller creeks and streams that lead into the Chippewa River. There was a minor ice jam on the Chippewa River near Durand that was reported the afternoon of March 20 which caused the river level to rapidly rise in the downtown area. The water level spiked from action level to minor flood levels. No damages to downtown businesses/structures were reported. ||The Village of Pepin had pumped water off private property and roadways; the highway department reports assorted roadways damages throughout county including local, county, and state roadways due to culvert washouts and water over roads from melting snow.
July 2017Heavy RainStockholm-A mesonet station in Pepin County near Stockholm measured 3.70 inches of rainfall.
July 2017Heavy RainPepin-A local weather observer measured 5.26 inches of rainfall.
June 2016Thunderstorm WindStockholm-Numerous trees and power lines were blown down in the towns and villages of Pepin and Stockholm.
June 2016Thunderstorm WindLund-Numerous trees and power lines were blown down along Highway I, near Barry Corner and Devils Corner.
June 2016Thunderstorm WindDurand-A tree blew down across County Road N in the town of Albany of far eastern Pepin County.
August 2012HailStockholm-Quarter size hail was observed on Lake Pepin.
June 2010Flash FloodPepin-Flood waters caused eight inches of mud to flow over railroad tracks near Pepin, Wisconsin. In addition, County Road N, and Arkansas Road had to be barricaded due to a road that was washed out due to flood waters.
September 2010FloodArkansaw-Approximately 20 businesses on the riverside of Main St. in Durand, Wisconsin, all had water in their basement. The city of Durand lost one of its wells due to the flood waters. Two county roads were also closed because of the Chippewa River flooding.
August 2009Heavy RainArkansaw-A local resident near Arkansaw, Wisconsin measured 7.34 inches of rainfall overnight.
August 2009Heavy RainDurand-A local observer measured 6.50 inches of rainfall overnight.
July 2008Thunderstorm WindElla-A few trees downed near Ella and Little Plum.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindPepin-Numerous large trees down. Some 12 inches in diameter.
August 2007HailDurand-Observed at sheriffs office.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindDurand-Doors blown off building.
August 2006HailDurand-About 7000 acres of corn and beans were severely damaged across central and eastern Pepin County.
August 2006HailDurand-Hail broke windows, and damaged houses and vehicles.
August 2006Thunderstorm WindDurand-Few trees down.
June 2005Thunderstorm WindDurand-A tree was downed onto a road in Albany Township, Section 15.
July 2005Thunderstorm WindDurand-Trees and power lines were downed including a 100 year old Maple on Prospect Street.
August 2005Thunderstorm WindStockholm-Trees and power lines were downed.

Mines and quarries

62 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 62 workings inside this county. 3 still produce and 59 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Stone, Crushed/Broken43
Sand and Gravel, Construction18
Dolomite1
Stone1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Holmes Creek Dolomite QuarryDolomitePast Producer
Patnode QuarryStoneUnknown
Arkansaw Sand Pit #1Sand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Arkansaw Sand Pit #2Sand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Bogus Creek Sand PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Brooks PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Charles Serene, Jr. PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Chippewa River Bar Gravel DepositSand and Gravel, ConstructionOccurrence
Chippewa River Gravel Pit #1Sand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Cranes Bend Gravel DepositSand and Gravel, ConstructionOccurrence
Deer Island Gravel DepositSand and Gravel, ConstructionOccurrence
Durand Quarry and PitStone, Crushed/Broken, Sand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Eau Galle River Sand Deposit #1Sand and Gravel, ConstructionOccurrence
Fox Valley Creek Gravel DepositSand and Gravel, ConstructionOccurrence
Lake Pepin Gravel DepositSand and Gravel, ConstructionOccurrence
Skunk Hollow Gravel DepositSand and Gravel, ConstructionProspect
Stockholm Gravel DepositSand and Gravel, ConstructionOccurrence
Stockholm Sand DepositSand and Gravel, ConstructionOccurrence
Wieser Durand Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Yellow Bank Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Arkansaw Shaly Limestone DepositStone, Crushed/BrokenOccurrence
Bauer Limestone QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Big Coulee Limestone DepositStone, Crushed/BrokenOccurrence
Bogstad Shale QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Brunner Dolomite QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
C. & E. Crapser Shale DepositStone, Crushed/BrokenOccurrence
Cranberry Creek Shale DepositStone, Crushed/BrokenOccurrence
Durand Shale DepositStone, Crushed/BrokenOccurrence
Durand Shale Quarry #1Stone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Durand Shale Quarry #2Stone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Durand Shale Quarry #3Stone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Durand Shale Quarry #4Stone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
E. & L. Zeilinger Dolomite DepositStone, Crushed/BrokenOccurrence
Emery Anderson QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Fall Creek Shale DepositStone, Crushed/BrokenOccurrence
Forster Shale QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Fox Valley Shale QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Harvey Creek Shale QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Holmes Creek Dolomite & Shale SiteStone, Crushed/BrokenOccurrence
Horsethief Coulee Dolomite DepositStone, Crushed/BrokenOccurrence
Joe Gray Coulee Shale QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Little Rock Creek Shale QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Maple Ridge Limestone Deposit #1Stone, Crushed/BrokenOccurrence
Maple Ridge Limestone Deposit #2Stone, Crushed/BrokenOccurrence
Maple Ridge Limestone QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Maple Ridge Sandstone DepositStone, Crushed/BrokenOccurrence
Marie Brunner Dolomite DepositStone, Crushed/BrokenOccurrence
Papnode QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Patrick Bauer Dolomite DepositStone, Crushed/BrokenOccurrence
Peters QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Pine Creek Limestone DepositStone, Crushed/BrokenOccurrence
Plautz QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Porcupine Creek Shale DepositStone, Crushed/BrokenOccurrence
Prissel Limestone DepositStone, Crushed/BrokenOccurrence
Prissel Valley Shale PitStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Schlosser Shale DepositStone, Crushed/BrokenOccurrence
Schuh QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Skunk Hollow Limestone DepositStone, Crushed/BrokenOccurrence
Stockholm Limestone QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Stockholm QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Tulip QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Weinzirl Shale DepositStone, Crushed/BrokenOccurrence

Every populated place in the county

13

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.